²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,^(A) Christ died for nothing!”^[a]

⁶ And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works;^(A) if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

²¹ Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!^(A) For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.^(B)

Jesus Like Melchizedek

¹¹ If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people^(A) established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come,^(B) one in the order of Melchizedek,^(C) not in the order of Aaron?

¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised,^(A) our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

² Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,^(A) Christ will be of no value to you at all. ³ Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.^{(B) 4} You who are trying to be justified by the law^(C) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.^(D)

¹⁶ know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,^(A) but by faith in Jesus Christ.^(B) So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in^[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.^(C)

³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.^(A)